L. Neil Smith's THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE Number 318, May 8, 2005 V-E Day Why there is a Second Amendment
Exclusive to TLE In these modern days of the 'war on terror', we often hear new proposals to ban this or that weapon, because 'it could be used by a terrorist'. Most notably, this is often said about the .50 BMG rifle, as manufactured by Barrett Arms and others. What nobody seems to see, or if they do, to mention, is the fact that these same weapons are also quite useful in defending the owner from those who use body armor, so-called assault weapons, or even vehicles in the commission of illegal acts. Just one incident illustrates how a .50 BMG rifle could have ended a violent series of acts, with much less bloodshed than actually occurred. On February 28, 1997, two heavily armed criminals engaged in a long running shootout with police, eventually wounding 17 people, 6 civilians and 11 police officers. Fortunately, no one was killed except for the two perpetrators. During this incident, the two criminals were wearing body armor which was sufficient to protect them from the handgun rounds used by the police. Video footage clearly shows that handgun rounds repeatedly impacted against the body armor worn by the criminals with little or no effect. Just one legally armed citizen, with a .50 BMG rifle (among many others commonly available) could have ended this reign of terror in short order. Also, much as I hate to say it, government misconduct is a substantial reason for private citizens to own very large caliber weapons, 'assault rifles' or other politically incorrect items. For those of us in the gun culture, it is no secret that many federal and state agencies have engaged in cultural genocide against us, often committing illegal acts, using fraudulent search and arrest warrants to justify these acts. Most people, when talking about government misconduct, seem to think "it can't happen here", that only happens in those 'other countries'. They don't seem to realize that not only several federal agencies, but also many state and local ones as well, have become no more than armed bands of thugs, using their authority to fight the 'war on drugs', or the 'war on terror', as a reason to kill and steal the property of non-violent citizens, many of whom have done absolutely no wrong, have no criminal record, and have never harmed another soul. Sometimes it happens just for public relations reasons, to justify a bigger budget. Think I'm joking? I pity you. You! Yes, you, are being affected by the incompetence of law enforcement agencies every single day. I will admit, this is not often to the level of Don Scott, who was murdered by police officers, or Randy Weaver, whose family was shattered, his wife and son murdered by federal agents. Or even those members of the Branch Davidian church, who were murdered as a result of a rogue federal agency using fraudulent warrants in order to justify a bigger budget. These are just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of documented cases of police officers, departments, and federal agencies killing, falsely arresting, or destroying the property of citizens on no more than suspicion, or at most, the word of a convicted criminal seeking to get a little leniency. No, for most of us, it is more like not being able to buy cold medicine without being treated like a criminal, or not being able to obtain pain relief medications because the doctor is afraid of going to jail. For most of us, it is being treated in a thoroughly humiliating manner, just to board an airplane. For most of us, it is living in fear of the IRS, or perhaps the government goon at the title office who treats you like scum while demanding proof of insurance (which is totally unconstitutional in and of itself!) I submit to you that the Founding Fathers would be ashamed of us. They wrote the Second Amendment with the idea in mind that no more would American citizens have to fear the government, as had been the case up until the American Revolution. The Second Amendment was the direct result of years of government abuse of law-abiding citizens, then of years of war brought about as a direct result of a government attempt to disarm the citizens. I submit to you that the actions taken by the federal and local governments have gone far beyond what was necessary to precipitate the American Revolution. I submit to you that the government of this country has actually become what we fought so long against in Soviet Russia. The government of this country has murdered its own citizens, waged illegal warfare against a country on the far side of the globe, killing thousands of our own troops, and tens or possibly hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians. The government of this country has systematically lied to us in order to justify these actions. The government of this country has stolen our property, money, and goods. The 'unfair and repressive' taxation which helped to spark the American Revolution was only 3 to 5%. Today, we work almost half the year to pay taxes, and that is only because so many taxes, fees, and governmental regulation costs are NOT included in that calculation! The whole purpose of the Second Amendment is to prevent just these types of government activity Am I calling for a new revolution? No, not yet. I do not now, nor have I ever advocated armed revolt against the government, not while there is still a chance to correct these injustices peacefully. What I am saying is that the Founding Fathers realized that it might someday become necessary for that to happen, when government grew beyond the bounds set for it in the Constitution. That is why the Second Amendment was written, so that if it should become necessary, the people would have the means to overthrow government gone tyrannical. You know, if a modern political reporter was covering the American Revolution, Washington, Jefferson, John and Samuel Adams, Franklin, and all the other leaders of that time, would be described as 'terrorists', trouble-makers, 'dissident elements', or 'disruptive elements of society', which need to be exterminated. (Anyone remember the Enabling Acts in Nazi Germany? Wasn't that what they said about the Jews then?) As always, when I use facts in an article, other than my personal opinions, I encourage each and every one of you, do the research, learn the facts! Check it out for yourselves. Prove to yourselves that I am telling you the truth, at least as I see it. Never, ever, take my unsupported word for anything, and still less that of any government or media spokesperson or official. After all, when the night soil of a large male bovine hits the rotary air impeller, it is you, and only you, who are responsible for your own freedom and safety.
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